the Omen of Temptation
by jessalinerose
Summary: An AU following modern day SkyClan which has split into two Clan's — IvyClan and HollyClan and has migrated to the north of England. This is based off a role-play.
1. Intro

**Prologue**

 _THE CLOUDS IN THE SKY LAY TREACHEROUS, DARK AND MALICIOUS. They rampaged over the stormy sky that covered Silverpelt. The sickle moon hung high in the sky, as pale as china. A ray of molten silver streaked across the sky, reflecting onto the river. Thick, reflective ice coated the barks of trees which hid the prey away. Snow coated the borders, but this snow they stood on lay tainted._

 _The smell of daisy's, blood and marrow entered the aroma, thick, lifting the pelts of the cats. Where one lay slain._

 _A yowl escaped one of the cats throats. They had to leave. They knew they were coming._

The sleeping earth would wake up soon.

" _Do you remember? The sun had gleamed down upon us and we were tumbling and carefree? Do you remember? When the rain came pouring down, and..."_

 **Chapter One: Beginning**

The clouds flashed, and rain spat down, punishing the lands. Trees fell. The border flooded. And after that, snow had began to fall. Leaf-bare was upon them now.

The cats were gathered, hidden in the cave. In the centre of main camp was a large hollowed out rock and a small but regal cat upon it stared down his nose at everyone. Wedgestar, leader of HollyClan.

Echokit thought he was brilliant. Her mother, Redfang, a pretty calico molly, fussed over her and her two sister's, Blackkit and Whitekit, who whinged at their fur being roughly cleaned. Blackkit was a little bigger than Echokit, with sleek dark fur and blue eyes. Whitekit was bigger than Blackkit, with her creamy fur and dark blue eyes. Echokit looked down at herself with a sigh. Her fur was blue-grey and so fluffy to the point she barely looked like a cat, more like a furrb—

"And we'll be able to the SKY!" Blackkit exclaimed to Whitekit, who looked vaguely unimpressed. The sky. How Echokit longed to see the sky! She and her siblings had never been outside before and she got told the sky was blue but she was unable to imagine what blue looked like. Cats said, ' _your pelt is blue!_ ' So perhaps she was part of the sky, and had dropped down here by mistake! Perh—

The leader opened his mouth, revealing his Received Pronunciation accent that was so very pleasant to the ear, clipped, with an emphasis on the last syllable of every word. Echokit almost didn't notice him cry, "Whitekit, Blackkit, Echokit, step forward."

Blackkit was so excited that she was practically bouncing, with glee in her blue eyes and Echokit found herself bouncing with her. Whitekit didn't though, she was sensible, reserved and all too willing to please. Whitekit was boring.

"It's time for one of my… Favourite ceremonies." Wedgestar started with a curl of the lip. "Blackkit, it is time for you to be an apprentice. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be named Blackpaw."

His calm eyes seemed to search the cats gathered as the rain pattered on. Had Wedgestar not already decided their mentors? Echokit searched his eyes, which were placidly focused on Blackpaw once more.

"Flamingstream," Wedgestar finally started. "I choose you as Blackpaw's mentor and I hope you will pass your known strength and courage to her."

A pale ginger she-cat with fiery amber eyes nodded, glancing swiftly over at Blackpaw. A tired look hung from her, as dark and cold as a winter night. Echokit fancied that once, there had been rampant mischief sparkling within those very fiery eyes, and laughter ringing in her ears.

"It would be my honour, Wedgestar." Flamingstream said with a cough, and the ginger molly turned to see Blackpaw eagerly in front of her, nose already outstretched and Echokit noticed a ghost of a smile begin to linger on her ginger face as she softly nosed her back.

And just like that, all thoughts of Flamingstream vanished from Echokit's head as she turned to look expectantly at Wedgestar who did not spare her a look.

' _Me next, me next!'_ The blue-grey molly thought impatiently.

And as if StarClan had answered her prayers, Wedgestar looked upon her with his beautiful features and started with a simple, "Echokit."

She eagerly looked up at him, her already fluffy pelt fluffing out further.

"From this day onwards until you receive your warrior name, your name will be Echopaw." The blue-grey she-cat eagerly nodded, anticipating her mentor. Who would it be? Would it be Redwater, the handsome and ferocious warrior who had proved himself many times in battles against IvyClan? Would it be Salmonclaw, a burly molly with scratches and scars crisscrossing in the pink undertones of her fur or perhaps Willowfeather, for his strategic for-

"I will mentor Echopaw." Wedgestar murmured, for the tom did not need to carry his voice as it passed in silence. Echopaw stared up at the tom, glee very slowly crawling onto her expressive features and Wedgestar narrowed his eyes at her. Pride and smugness swelled in her blue-grey chest—

"Whitekit has chosen to follow the path to become a medicine cat." Wedgestar carried on smoothly and fluidly, hard voice cutting her happiness in half. Echopaw turned, pale eyes wide in shock who did not dare glance at her sisters, only quietly smiled at Wedgestar, and Echopaw noticed out of the corner of her eye the old brindle tom Stonetree who limped towards his old friend, exchanging a strange look with him and then addressed the Clan. Every cat's eye was directed on him, with respect and something else in their eyes that Echopaw couldn't decipher. As if- As if Stonetree was excluded from the others. He opened his mouth, and Echopaw cringed at his croaky, old, Welsh accent. "I am growing old, and I will be taking Whitepaw to be my medicine cat apprentice."

Whitepaw quickly crossed over to her mentor, eyes gleaming with pride, a rare confidence in her step and she touched noses with her mentor. She truly did suit this role but Echopaw was unable to see that, unable to shake the feeling of betrayal rushing through her.

' _Why didn't I notice Whitepaw wanted to be a medicine cat? I thought all three of us would become great warriors together?'_

"Dismissed." Wedgestar said quietly, jumping off from his den and entering it without a second glance to Echopaw, who looked down at her paws morosely. The patrol's had left, Blackpaw had been taken by Flamingstream to see the territory and Whitepaw was chatting excitedly with Stonetree.

'Hmp! If Wedgestar won't take me out, then I'll just..' The blue-grey she-cat thought mischievously, squirming and squishing her way past the wave of cats who congratulated her on becoming an apprentice, nodding briefly at Redpaw who was only a few moons older than her and Larkpaw suddenly bounded up to her, excitement in her squeaky voice. Echopaw wanted to groan.

"Oh, StarClan, I'm so excited that you're a warrior now!" The grey tabby looked at her with her pale eyes. Larkpaw was her cousin, through Speckledwhisker, her mother's brother, who she vaguely noticed chattering with Sundersoul, eyes flickering over to somet- "The Gathering is simply amazing! IvyClan are so- strange? And they smell so horrible!"

"Can I catch up with you later, Larkpaw?" Echopaw asked absentmindedly, not noticing the hurt flashing across the grey tabby's face, looking over head's for Blackpaw's dark pelt and-

"Could I, perhaps, come with you?" Larkpaw asked quietly, eyes drawn to the floor. Echopaw turned her head to face her and nodded, exuberance spreading across her blue-grey face. "Let's sneak up on Blackpaw and Flamingstream!"

Larkpaw nodded her grey head with excitement, hurt quickly forgotten as which was the norm with children. "Yes, yes!" She bent into a shabby hunting crouch, stalking forwards and tail lashing. "Pretty good, huh?"

"Yeah!" Echopaw nodded, not really knowing if that was correct or not. They set off, Larkpaw screaming a, "see ya, ma, da!" (1) Towards Sundersoul and Speckledwhisker, Sundersoul who sniffed her nose at Larkpaw's 'unruly' actions while Speckledwhisker nodded casually.

The rock was smooth from thousands of paw steps walking this same path for centuries and centuries, and it was quite honestly, beautiful. It was grey everywhere, but the coolness was helpful in greenleaf and it helped protect against weather in leafbare. It truly was the best camp, perfectly disguised. Even IvyClan had no idea where it was! HollyClan was truly the best Clan! She knew this because her Mum had told her so! They ran past the border patrol with excitement jittering their legs, ignoring the obliging chuckles at their expense from Redwater, Mapleclaw, Mothburn and Ottercreek.

"Isn't Mapleclaw your mentor? Won't she get gassed (2) you're not doing any work?" Echopaw asked Larkpaw in curiosity, who stared at Echopaw for a moment, then chuckled as they left the cave mouth, foliage and greenery brushing against their pelt as they left. Echopaw stopped and stumbled as they came across the blueness of the sky. The cats were wrong. Yes, her pelt was blue, but her pelt looked more like the cave walls than the beautiful, pale sky. They stepped in a splash of water and Echopaw jumped, hair rising. 'I can see myself!' She thought, staring at her eyes, that were more pale than even the sky, so pale that they were almost white! They were… Disconcerting.

"Pahahaha! Who told you that?" Larkpaw chuckled, slowing down from her trot to a walk. "We don't work our tail's off all the time, y'know!"

Echopaw felt her skin beneath her fur flush with a surge of anger and embarrassment; mumbling out, "Thornpaw."

This made Larkpaw burst into further peals of laughter. "Ah, that tosser?! (3) He's probably just tryna pull the web over your eyes! 'Course we don't have to work all the time! I'll show you something sometime, they said that they're going to mee—"

"Cats from IvyClan?" A dry voice said behind them, cracked and grumpy. Echopaw let out a startled cry and snapped her head around, finally removing eye contact from her reflection while Larkpaw's eyes widened ever so slowly, then slowly twisting around with a forlorn expression on her face to meet their executioner. "You don't want to get into, that, believe me." Flamingstream coughed quietly, amber-green eyes narrowing down at the two of them, thick golden-ginger tail swishing around behind her experimentally. Echopaw nodded minutely, fascinated once more by the ginger molly, who's eyes snapped fire but who's body language said tired, as if she was ready to collapse at any moment.

A black flash galloped behind her, stumbling over the tree roots and sticks in a carefree manner. It was Blackpaw, who called out a greeting to them.

"No?" Said Larkpaw with confusion in her voice, staring at the cat with strong blue eyes, but the ginger molly shook her head disapprovingly towards Larkpaw. What was her problem?

"Consider it lucky I won't inform Wedgestar. Now, you two better join me as a trade for that." Flamingstream said unrelentingly and Echopaw opened her mouth, but was silenced by Flamingstream's hard amber gaze. Both too shell-shocked to come up with a coherent answer, they both only nodded, and as Flamingstream began to walk, Blackpaw slowed her pace to walk besides them. "What did she say to you?"

However, when the two molly's wouldn't tell her, they ended up in a whisper argument that also resulted in Flamingstream turning around, accusing stared burning holes into their coats. "Okay, where are we?" She asked.

Echopaw looked around her. She was… Unsure. Admittedly, she had been droning out the ginger molly from the very start, and curiously peered around her, hoping the geography of the bucolic area would help. They were very deep in the territory as she could not hear the soft roar of water, but they could hear a loud, zooming sound. "What is that?!" The blue-grey molly complained, who was only met with a giggle from Larkpaw.

"They're big and huge!" The grey tabby adumbrated, who was shot an exasperated look from the warrior. Echopaw glanced at her sister, who only shrugged her dark shoulders.

"Monsters," Flamingstream said solemnly, snapping their attention back on the huge ginger cat. Echopaw and Blackpaw gasped. They had only heard about monsters in stories before! How scary! A shiver ran over Echopaw's back. She was unsure if she wanted to ever come near this place, ever again. The fear lasted only a millisecond, at most.

"Oh," Echopaw rolled her eyes. Flamingstream shook her head at the three cats, muttering under her breath about cats being very different in her day and Echopaw let out a sharp bark of laughter as they began to head back towards to one of the small amount hidden, but concealed entrances to the HollyClan caves, beneath some drooping branches and they squeezed through a tightly compressed bush, before nosing their way into the crevice that expanded the further they walked in.

The cave was bland, Echopaw noticed, just grey walls, grey floors and a grey ceiling. You were unable to see the Silverpelt above your head, and she never had done before, however, Redfang had told her how beautiful it was, dark, with bright lights in the sky that were StarClan warriors. Her train of thought was interrupted by Larkpaw brushing her tail against hers, mischief sparkling in her dark eyes.

"Follow me." She whispered as they entered the main camp, and Echopaw, felt the thrill of danger run up her spine, the excitement shiver and quiver all the way to her tail and they sneaked their way to the edge of the cave and carried on walking, undetected by any warriors. Not that they were needed by anyone, well, perhaps Echopaw should've been doing some training but.. Oh, well. They ran from the cave mouth once more, passing the border patrol which was now returning - a distinct, musky stench on their pelts - who stared at them funny but made no comments and they ran through trees and weaved their way towards the border and began to follow it, the trees slowly fading to reveal a hilly moor.

The moment was truly beatific, and Echopaw would one day look back on it with fondness in her pale eyes.

Echopaw was amazed when she saw it. The river, it opened up to a beautiful, gorgeous lake, and there were cats there already. But Echopaw wasn't shy, and boldly strode up to them with Larkpaw by her side.

"Hi, Echopaw." Said Redpaw politely, and she purred at him. He was one of the older apprentices, and he had dark red fur, a cream underbelly and pale blue eyes.

"Oh, for StarClan's sake, why have you bought _her_?" Snapped Dawnpaw, snootily looking down her nose at Echopaw and began to whisper to Lightpaw, a fluffy she-cat.

"'Cos she wanted te', not like tha's any of _yer_ business!" Echopaw snapped out, Scottish brogue coming out in harsh tones.

"Well, it's quite clearly our business," hissed Lionpelt, who had only recently become a warrior and had yet to make a move of hanging out with the warriors, content to wait until his friends were warriors. "You're like, _six_ moons."

Echopaw scowled at him, an interjection tingling on her tongue but was calmed with a soft touch of the tail from Larkpaw.

"She's chilled. She won't grass us up, mother's (4)." Larkpaw swore, pale eyes meeting Lionpelt's malicious dark eyes.

"Fine," spat out Lightpaw. Echopaw scowled at Lightpaw, who had only been made an apprentice herself! What a piece of fox-dung! Larkpaw purred and interlinked tails with Echopaw, beginning to run from the group.

"Where are we goin'?" Echopaw asked breathlessly. She couldn't wait to tell Blackpaw when she got home! Where was the exhilaration, the danger, the-

"Sometimes, we can meet rogues here," Larkpaw whispered in Echopaw's ear, and a fizzle of excitement began to spark within Echopaw, dancing and hissing and spitting. She had to show Blackpaw! As soon as Echopaw got home, she would definitely tell her!

"Calm," (5) Echopaw acknowledged, southern slang sounding alien on her Scottish Brogue. "Will we meet one today?"

Larkpaw's eyes caught with hers, excitement bubbling and bouncing within them. "P'haps, it'll be well shabby (6) though, innit?!" (7) The molly exclaimed.

Echopaw nodded, not having a clue what she was saying. She'd only heard a small bit of the outside world slang and what she'd heard she'd committed to memory but she'd have to hear these a few more times to understand some sort of meaning for them. So, all she said was, "I guess…"

The two cats looked at the darkening sky, and Echopaw felt a twinge of excitement fall to her stomach. She'd never seen the night sky before, and the darkening of it was lovely, starting to look more and more like her pelt. Perhaps she was from the dark side of the sky, where thunder and rain and anger spewed up a tempest that feasted on unknowing cats below?

"Come on, Echopaw, let's go back to the others." Larkpaw whispered and the small she-cat turned, mouth opened in a petulant retort but stopped herself.

'I haven't even seen the StarClan warriors yet…' Echopaw mumbled within the safe confines of her head where none of the other cats would call her childish.

"Sure!" Echopaw instead chose to say, taking glances at the velvety sky as they slowly made their way back to camp.

They entered the dark, dull and boring cave and Echopaw perked up at the sight of Redfang and her grandmother, Softleaf - who definitely was not soft, who cursed the IvyClan with every spite filled breath - who gave her a sniff. Speckledwhisker was arguing with Flamingstream, but Echopaw couldn't make out what they were sayi—

"Have you been with all that lot, Echopaw, Larkpaw?" Softleaf reprimanded, eyes hard on theirs and Echopaw remembered Larkpaw was there next to her. Larkpaw shrugged at her. "I'll let you off this time…"

Echopaw's ears went back at her nan's grumble but quickly rushed over to her mother who gently put her tail on her back.

"Hello, my day.." Redfang whispered the endearment to her daughter, who pushed her head's against hers with an affectionate meow. "Blackpaw and Whitepaw are waiting for you!"

Echopaw nodded at Redfang and entered the nursery, a tired scowl on her blue-grey face. She spotted Blackpaw, who was practically bouncing off the walls, and Whitepaw, who looked subdued and if she'd rather be anywhere but here.

"Let's start the story," Redfang began, coming in behind Echopaw. "Once upon a time, there was a silly cat named Berryskate, and he believed..."

(1) ma, da! - mum, dad!

(2) gassed - angry, can have other meanings. in this context it meant angry.

(3) tosser - basically means someone who masturbates but is used as an everyday insult

(4) mother's - = i swear on my life/on my nan's grave/etc

(5) calm - = chilled

(6) shabby - lit

(7) innit - basically an agreement

 ** _Can you guys spot the foreshadowing? Comment belowwww if you can!_**

 _there won't be roadmen slang in every chapter, this is the 'bad' squad tryna act cool and echopaw's tryna square up and act cool as well (they'll grow out of it)_


	2. Thistlevine's Terror

**CHAPTER 2: THISTLEVINE'S TERROR**

 _Far, far away, a cat screamed in the distance, tears running down a beautiful face. Cinnabar cartilage was spread over the beautiful lowlands and the beautif-_

 _Hark! A name calling?! Run._

The blue-grey molly awoke to her mother's familiar, rumbling purr and the warm scent of Whiteki- Whitepaw next to her. Blackpaw had already left.

Echopaw wrenched open baby blue, almost white eyes, and stared at her mother who had the same soft, sad look in her same pale eyes.

"You never really notice time going by until you're my age and you've kits of your own, and you wonder if StarClan is really there..." Her mother whispered to Whitepaw, who stared up at her, admiration glittering in her gentle, dark blue eyes.

"Where's Dad?" Whitepaw asked innocently, confusion spreading across her snow white face. Redfang's sad eyes saddened even further as she nosed her daughter.

"Ashheart's gone to StarClan, my day," Redfang crooned, sorrowfully and turned her head away from Whitepaw to look at Echopaw. "Good morning, my day."

"Hullo, my sky!" Echopaw squeaked, pretending not to have heard the exchange between mother and daughter, emitting a high pitched yawn, and barrelling from the nursery, eager to finally train and meet her mentor, Wedgestar, flicking her tail at Thistlevine, a young warrior who was friendly with the deputy.

The molly in question shook her fluffy blonde coat with a gentle sigh. Thistlevine remembered being that young. She carried on walking, creeping through the branches of HollyClan caves. Over time, the rough stone beneath her paws that had scratched and hurt her soft, pale paws had become considerably more comfortable as her paw pads had hardened to when she had first arrived, several moons ago.

Finally, she saw it. The green ivy that hung with numerous more foliage, hiding the cave, enveloping it within the thick forest, and over from there were the familiar zooms of the monsters that crackled with thunder as they sped across the Thunderpath. A fond smile curled on her lip.

She had been Thistle then, young, feisty and spiteful. She'd snapped at the very young warrior of HollyClan, Spottedheart, who had tried to tempt her to the Clan, to at least get help for her injuries that came with travelling thousands of fox-lengths.

 _Thistlevine barely remembered it._

The yowling and screeching of fighting, bleeding cats. All she remembered was the fear scent bleeding from her mother as the cats looked scornfully down on her, the sight of a pure white cat exchanging fierce, angry words with her mother that she recognised and wanted to prance over to them but was stopped in her tracks with the fierce rage burning in their blue eyes that had followed her as Gingerleaf bent down to pick her by the scruff, and wailing, she'd battered at the air that was filled with the scent of death and blood.

The sight of a young, wiry, small, black tortoiseshell rallying the cats was fresh in her mind, passion in her eyes.

Thistle had been scouting for food, and it showed. Her pelt was lank and limp and you could clearly see her ribs. Her mum was worse, and frailer now. But Thistle had been stubborn, and ignored the tell-tale voice of her mother needing to see a medicine cat, and with a bit of snark and a turn on her fluffy heel, Thistle had left the cocky tom where the thick forest and bushes and rocks and stones had melted into the Twolegplace with monsters dashing, Twoleg's within their tummies. She stared in horror and disgust, wondering what those monsters would do absentmindedly and crossed the Thunderpath when it was clear, pushing through alleyways and items of rubbish that lay scattered around where her mother shou- She wasn't there. Where was she?!

Thistle put down the still warm mouse and round eyes rose up to look down the alleyway in panic. Whiskers twitching, eyes barely focussing, adrenaline pounding through her body. Where was Gingerleaf?! Her mother could simply be socialising with other cats, but after her mother's cautiousness with other cat's after the

( _flashes of vermillion, yowling, the angry blue eyes, the young, wiry, small tortoiseshell)_

war.

Thistle streaked down the alleyway, ears back, rain falling from the heavens that soaked her pelt to her skin. It fell heavily, and she jumped when thunder rumbled. Fear, terror, dread.

"Mum?!" Thistle croaked, eyes dampening as a dark feeling began to submerge her. It swept through her like a tsunami.

Then she saw her.

The fluffy, ginger she-cat lay battered on the tarmac, and a yowl had already passed her lips as fear surged through her.

 _SHE NEEDED A MEDICINE CAT._

Thistle ran and pulled her mother by the scruff, back to the earthy forest as a yellow monster whizzed by her. Terror shook her. Her mother's broken, twisted body blinked with one eye up at her. She was so frail...

 _(she inhaled, then exhaled.)_

"I came from a Clan once." Gingerleaf whispered hoarsely, eyes sharp, tongue limp. Blood dripping. Bone showing.

Thistle had let out a colossal wail, screeching and screaming. The rain dropped hard on her face as she lifted her head to the heavens and let out a raw, primal sound that tore from her. Her own flesh and blood was dead.

It had been a couple of moons before Thistle had joined the Clan, strolling onto the territory. Spottedheart was no longer a young warrior, he was deputy, and had taken her, without a word through the thick and vast forest and to her surprise, a hidden cave that traversed across their whole territory.

When Wedgestar had asked her where she had come from, she had sighed and told them this:

"My mother was once from a Clan such as this. Her name was called Gingerleaf. I never knew that she was from a Clan until the day she died. She had me, and my siblings who died because they were too weak.

"I was the only survivor. She told me of how she had once been apart of a group- well a Clan of cats that had been part of a group of many other Clan's. They disagreed on something, and the other Clan's had attacked. In the panic, my mother had left without her Clan and we've been travelling ever since."

Thistlevine had numbly been accepted into the Clan, where she became a warrior of HollyClan. A sigh tickled her face as she turned around, only to see Spottedheart, who looked at her with softness in his gaze.

Blackpaw scoffed as she looked down at the two cats beneath her position from where she was scaling the top of the cave. Flamingstream had assigned her to try and run atop of the cave, using the foliage propel her along just in case IvyClan ambushed them, so she would be prepared. Then, she moved, and began to stealth across the top of the cave, claw, hook, claw, hook, claw, hook.

In all honesty, she was enjoying it. It was easy to hook her claws beneath the vines and ivy and scale up, down, and across the cave. Perfect way to ambush - how long had that taken to develop that strategy? She wondered if there would perhaps be a cat from the opposition that would take one look at their carefully formulated scaling strategy and rip it like a ball of webs.

She heard laughter in the distance, and spotted a patch of blue through the bushes and scrambled over the cave, jumped onto a smaller sub part of it, and there her sister was, laughing at Wedgestar, eagerness to please in her disconcerting eyes. She almost flinched - from a distance, her eyes looked almost entirely white. Wedgestar was turned away from Blackpaw, but was rolling on his back, tummy displayed to the warm sun.

With a fond roll of her eyes, she scaled towards IvyClan's side of the territory, where she spotted a streak of grey — her cousin, Larkpaw, who was laughing and brushing shoulders with Lionpelt, and Blackpaw felt a pit of dark envy began to build within her tummy, malicious and emerald. But as Larkpaw raised her nose to scent the air, she turned and waved Blackpaw over with her tail excitedly.

" _Blackpawww_!" Larkpaw called, exuberance in her eyes. Blackpaw unhooked her claws and leapt from the cave, laughter stringing freely from her mouth.

"Hi-ya! What'cha doin'?" Blackpaw asked, Scottish brogue soft as she turned to see the gang of cats. Lightpaw turned her snooty nose up at her and Blackpaw rolled her sky blue eyes.

"We're goin' te _Iv_ —" Redpaw started excitedly, pouncing to his paws with restlessly when a tail was slapped across his mouth.

"Shut up, _idiot_!" Dawnpaw hissed as she dragged her tail over Redpaw's russet face, who glared at her.

"What you saying?" Blackpaw hissed, bending her head down a bit while her ears pricked in irritation, eyes sparking with annoyance.

"She won't snitch," Redpaw insisted, anger in his blue eyes. "Shut up Dawnpaw, no one likes _you_ anyway."

"Don't take the piss out of her, _Redpaw_!" Thornpaw snapped at Redpaw, and it looked like a fight was about to break out between the three cats when Lionpelt shouted at them all to shut up.

"We're going to meet up with some IvyClan cats," Lionpelt hissed to her, wrapping his tail around her cousin, Larkpaw and bringing her close to him.

"Lets go, then!" Blackpaw said confidently and quickly, not wanting the gang to look down on her with their noses up, who appraised her with knowing eyes, and annoyance spat through her blood like fire.

"What are you waiting for? What are you, _pussy_?" Blackpaw hissed out, challengingly looking at Lightpaw who sneered at her.

"Yeah, lets go!" Thornpaw called, beginning to lead the group from HollyClan territory and Larkpaw and the other apprentice's scattered and a kindle of confusion rose within Blackpaw's stomach as she scrambled to follow after them from where the IvyClan border opened up to the lake and leaping over foliage, rocks, passing dead ivy, jumping over-

The caterwauling yowl of Dawnpaw stopped Blackpaw in her tracks, and she cautiously peered round a thin, spindly tree, smelling something she was unsure of. Lionpelt had the front of the pack and was covered in something and Lightpaw was smirking at hi—

" _Boo_!"

Blackpaw opened her mouth to scream but a russet tail shoved itself over her mouth. The black molly stopped and turned on her heel, looking at the mischievous face of Echopaw, wrinkling her nose.

"What are we doing here?" Blackpaw whispered. "And what is that smell?"

Echopaw's long coat was coated with mud and did she stink! Redpaw from behind her, was also covered in the mud. When did Echopaw get here?

Echopaw glanced at Redpaw, who's brows furrowed at the sight of mudless Blackpaw, swearing beneath his breath. Wouldn't her scent ruin their mud scent plan?

Redpaw twitched his tail as he stared into Blackpaw's sky blue eyes intensely.

"Come with me.." He whispered nervously, and Echopaw shivered, feeling awkward and looking at anywhere but him but followed the pair ahead anyway. They sat down by the IvyClan border, where Echopaw noticed Blackpaw's realisation at the different land they stood on.

"IvyClan..." Blackpaw whispered, then turned her head to them with an excited beam.

Redpaw did not acknowledge her, just saying, "kotch." (1) Echopaw assented her head, worried eyes peering over her shoulder because her mother, Redfang would come and scream at them and Whitepaw, the little tattle-tail would be looking at her with a peaceful expression on her blank, emotionless face and she'd want to shred Whitepaw's face off-

Redpaw returned, carrying the stinky mud and without a warning, began to lather it on Blackpaw's dark pelt. But what about where Blackpaw had already streaked through IvyClan territory. She spotted dark fur on the floor, but was pulled from her thoughts by Blackpaw whispering, "this is so peak... (2)"

"You're actin' like this is a madting, (3) Blackpaw!" Redpaw exclaimed, looking at her with laughter in his eyes. "Just allow it (4) and don't be so bait." (5)

Echopaw nodded, but her mind was tellin– 'Allow it.' Her mind said, and with a brief look at Blackpaw, smiled with adventure in her pale eyes as the two began to follow Redpaw along the river where they spotted Dawnpaw, Lightpaw and Thornpaw first, laughter in their eyes, and a dull purr that was emitting from their throats.

Spikepaw and Birchpaw were laughing and it was slurred. Anticipation entered Echopaw - she smelled it. It smelled so good.

"What's that?" Echopaw's eyes closed slowly, then blinked open at Redpaw, taking in the green grass that brushed her chin, and brushed his, and the beautiful afternoon cloudy sky. His dark red fur, and his sky blue eyes that blinked warmly down at her.

"Catnip, you silly bint!" Redpaw laughed, running into a field, and Echopaw realised with a cold thrill that tickled up her spine that they weren't even in IvyClan territory anymore, they were in uncharted territory.

Then she saw the other cats, who lazily made slurred noises at them. They rolled over in the catnip that lay over the ground, and Echopaw was unable to resist the temptation of rolling in the herb, sweet scent entering her nostrils as she rolled over to face a beautiful she-cat, she was a white cat, patched blue and cream, and looked down at Echopaw with laughter in her eyes.

"I'm Morningpaw. Never tried it before, then?" She laughed, gesturing towards two tiny kits that sat behind her, the black and light ginger calico she-cat staring at Morningpaw with her dark green eyes shining with admiration.

"This is Yewkit," Morningpaw introduced, then pushed forward a fiery red cat with wide amber eyes. "This is my little brother, Firekit."

"You bought _kits_?" Echopaw imagine she squeaked out, but was slurred even to herand Morningpaw scowled down at her.

"And what?" Morningpaw snapped, and Echopaw's fur would've rose if she was in her normal state, but she only stared lazily at the pretty apprentice, who huffed and turned away from Echopaw.

"I'm Firekit!" Firekit introduced himself, excitement burning in his amber eyes, bouncing in his place. "I love Lightningstar! What about you? Do you like Lightningstar? I sure do! He's the best leader ever!"

Echopaw tried to think back through blurry memories, but could only see Wedgestar's beautiful face. "Hmm.." Was all she could mutter, intoxicated.

"And Russetheart! She's so _**COOL**_! Have you seen her in battle! I've never seen you here before! Are you new?" Firekit rambled on, excitement igniting amber eyes.

"Mhmmm.." Echopaw muttered as she shut her eyes, mind leaving her.

"Well, shit!" Rushpaw, a brown and white tom with hazel eyes laughed as Echopaw slumped on the ground, rolling around but completely shut off from the outside world. "She's off 'er 'ead, (6) then!"

Darkpaw stared hesitantly over at Echopaw's body, prodding her with his dark paw then stared up and shrugged at Potatopaw who laughed at the cat.

Skipperpaw shrugged at Leafpaw, and smiled charmingly at Blackpaw. "I'm Skipperpaw, and this, is Sam."

From behind Skipperpaw, a small brown tom, with white paws and bib popped his head around.

"'Ello!" Sam called friendlily, accent definitely cockney. "I'm Sam, 'ho are you?"

Blackpaw stared at Sam with wide blue eyes and nervousness within her chest, and when she spoke, her voice was so Scottish, she was sure he could barely understand.

"A'm Blackpaw, 'N' 'ho are yer? A've no sin ye befere.." (7) She stumbled out. Who was this kittypet? An image of Morley, as grey as the cave wall's, spread to her head. Then, she had thought that perhaps all kittypet's looked like that, but clearly not. However, Sam was a traveller, and easily picked up on her Scottish accent.

"Ah, a scottish girl. What's gwanin'? (8)" He asked, and Blackpaw smiled at him.

(1) kotch - chill out.

(2) peak - bad

(2) a madting - bad

(4) allow it - just let it happen

(5) bait - suspicious

(6) off 'er 'ead - off her head - intoxicated

(7) A'm Blackpaw, 'N' 'ho are yer? A've no sin ye befere.. - I'm Blackpaw. And who are you? I've never seen you before.

(8)what's gwanin' - what's happening


End file.
